News tagged with bicycle

(Phys.org) —More powerful batteries could help electric cars achieve a considerably larger range and thus a breakthrough on the market. A new nanomaterial for lithium ion batteries developed in the labs of chemists at ETH ...

While developing an electric bicycle for his San Rafael, Calif., company, Marcus Hays had planned to insert a battery into one of the bike's supporting tubes. But then he did an analysis of his concept with three-dimensional ...

Transportation of the two-wheeled variety is sharing the floor at the Detroit auto show with the latest cars, trucks and concept vehicles, a nod to the potential marketing boost that bikes may offer for automakers.

(Phys.org)—Oh, no. Not another reason to count your smartphone blessings? To feel so lucky to have a phone loaded with accelerometer and GPS? Oh, yes. Engineers at UK-based Cambridge Consultants have developed electronic ...

(Phys.org)—Don't tell Izhar Gafni that a bicycle can't be made of cardboard. An Israeli engineer working in industrial design, he was always fascinated by the potential that comes from the interplay of technologies applied ...

(Phys.org)—Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new techniques for stretching carbon nanotubes (CNT) and using them to create carbon composites that can be used as stronger, lighter materials ...

Engineers are working on intelligent materials that can diminish vibrations and extract power from the environment. These electro-active elastomers could dampen annoying vibrations in a car, for example, or supply wireless ...

Bicycle

A bicycle, bike, or cycle is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist or a bicyclist.

Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide, twice as many as automobiles. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for such uses as children's toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier services, and competitive sports.

The basic shape and configuration of a typical bicycle has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. Many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for particular types of cycling.

The invention of the bicycle has had an enormous impact on society, both in terms of culture and of advancing modern industrial usage. Several components that eventually played a key role in the development of the automobile were originally invented for the bicycle - e.g., ball bearings, pneumatic tires, chain-driven sprockets, spoke-tensioned wheels, etc.